The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-01-20

stance ne sfelt 1t 1ncumbent upon him not
only to assert his principles, but to act upon
them with Ills usual energy. How far he
was impelled by the half contemptuous
passiyeness of his companions it would be
difficult to say. g
@What is to prevent the pursuit of them at
onceg" he asked suddenly. ave are few
piles from the station, where horses can be
procured
: "Syho's to do it7" replied the other lazily.
1.-THE stage company will lodge the complaint
with the authorities, but it will take two days
to get the county officers out, and it's nobody
else's funeral & .Gz,fSIsz
u win go for onc,n said Hale quietly. SCI
have horse waiting for me at the station,
and can start at once"
There was an instant Of silence. The stage
coach had left the obscurity Of the forest, and
by the stronger light Hale could perceive that
his companion was examining him with two
colorless, lazy eyes Presently be said, meet
ing Hales clear glance, but rather as il yield
ing to q careless reflection:
1T might be done with four men, We
oughter raise ono man at tho station He
paused. "I don't know ez I'd mind taking a
hand myself he added, stretching out his
legs with slight yawn:
GYe can count me in, if you're goin, kernel.
I reckon I'm tallSin' to Kernel Clinch," said
the passenger beside Hale with sudden alac-
rity. sim Rawlns, of Frisco Herd of ye
aforc, kernel, and kinder spotted you jist
neg from yogr talk" +
To Hale's surprise the two men, after awk-
wardly and perfunctorily grasping each
others hand, entered at once into languid
conversation on tho recent election at Fresno,
without the Slightest further reference 70 tho
pursuit Of the robbers 1t was not until tho
remaining and undenominated passenger
turned to Hale, and, rcgretting that he had
immediate business at the Summit, offered to
accompany tho party II they would wait
couple Of hours, that Col. Clinch briefly re-
turned TO the subject, - - > ''
aFour mon will do, and ez we'll hev to tuke
horses from the station we'll hev to take the
fourth man from there. .-...---
With these words he resumed his uninter.
esting conversation with the equally uninter-
ested Rawlins, and the undenominated pas
senger subsidized into an admiring and dreamy
contemplation Of them both, With all his
principle and really high minded purpose,
Hale could not help feeling constrained and
annoyed at the sudden, subordinate and aux
ilIary position to which he, the protector Of
the. enterprise, had been reduced. 1t was true
that he had never offered himself as their
leader; it was truc that the principle he
wished to ny old and the effect no sought to
obtain would b. equally demonstrated under
another; it was true that the execution of his
own conception grav,tetsal by some occult
impulse to the man who had not sought it,
and whom he had always regarded as an In
caparls. B4l ill this was 50 pnliko precedent
or tradition that, after tho fashion Of con-
sentative men, he was suspicious of it, and
only that his honor was now involved he
would have withdrawn from tho enterprise.
There was still chance OF reasserting him
self at the station, where be was known,
and where some authority might be dcputed
to him. ."Hs4s.Gsa. =
Nv. APen this prospect failed. The station,
half hotel and half stable, contained only tho
landlord, who was also express agent, an'ithe
new xplunteer whom Ciinch had Suggested
would be found among the stable men: The
nearest justice of the peace was ten piilos
away, and Hale had to abandon even his
hope OF being sworn In as adeputy constable
nm: - o,,l IA
ostler into the party on equal terms with
himself did not add to his satisfaction, and a
remark from Rawlins seemed to complete
bis embarrassment. -.
41fe had o mighty narrer escape down
there Just now," said that gentleman conf
deptially, las Hale huckleF his saddle girths.
II thought, as we wcro not supposed TO
defend ourselves, there was no danger" said
Hale scornfully. 81. 10"
''oh, don't mean them road agents But
HIM" 20 =. ''
sfWhog". .'':tE-s =.
,"Kernel C.inch. You iist ez good as al
lowed he hadn't any grit" -, -, -, -
"Whatever / said, i suppose l. am, respon-
sible for it," answered Hale haughtily. =
That's what gifts mo, was the i,uIrrttirl,-
able reply. "Hes the best shot in southern
California, and hez let daylight through q
dozen chaps afore now for half what you
said,e $3.50 :...'i ='.-i IL. t..--ii '-..i =.
.'Indeedp: feeisaI ,...jt5i = 80. -.
aHowsummever," continued Rawlins, phil
osophically, "ez he's concluded to go with We
instead of for yc, you're likely to lev ycr,r
ideas on this matter carried out up to tho
handle. He'll make short work Of it, you
bet. Ef, ez suspect, the leader is an airy
young Teller from FRISCO, who hes took "a The
road lately, Clinch hez got personal grudga
agin him from quarrel oyer draw poker.n'
This was the last blow to Hale's ideal cry
SADIE. Hers be Nas--an honest, respectable
citizen-engaged as simple accessory TO a
lawless vendetta originating at q gambling
table! When the fiIst shock was over that
grim philosophy which is the reaction Of all
Imaginative and sensitive natures came TO his
aid. He felt better; oddly enough be began
to be conscious that he was thinking and act
ing like his companions. With this feeling Q
vague sympathy, before absent, faintiy
showed itself in their actions. The Shapes
rifle put into his hands by the stableman was
accompanied by a familiar word Of sugges-
ton as to an equal, which he-was ashamed to
find fattered him. He was able to continue
the conversation with Rawlins more coolly.
"Then you suspect who Is the leaderiu
'Only on. giniral principles. There was a
finer touch, so to speak, in this yer robbery
that wasn't in the old fashioned style. Down
in my country they he'd crude ideas about
them things-used to strip the passengers OF
everything, includin' their clothes. They say
that at the station hotels, when the coaches
came In, the folks used to stand round with
blankets to wrap Up the passengers so ez rot to
skeer the ,wimen. Tharis q story that the
driver and express manager drove UP. one day
with only copy Of The Atty CaIiforny
wrapped AROUND EN-; but thin" edded Raw.
Inns grimly, ..there was folks ez said tho hrll
story was only an advertisement get up for
Tho Alty.n
ATime's upm
care you ready, gentlemenr said Col.
Clinch, -. i. -,,.aas'.,.. ...aa.f -,
esfss What De- Left. -sss
A theatrical manager says ne intends to
keep on changing and improving a GER
tain play "until it perfectly conforms to